HOW TO HAVE FUN... (EVEN WHEN YOU ONLY HAVE $5)


A typical text conversation between Kari and I:

Kari: Let's hang out! 
Me: Duh, what do you wanna do? 
Kari: I dunno. I only have five dollars to my name. 
Me: God. Me too. Guess we're gonna have to find something creative to do... 
*silence* *painful silence
Kari: Sooooo... coffee?

Kari is transitioning into a big kid job and my boyfriend is looking for work, so neither of us have a lot of dollars to spend... but we like to have shit tons of fun. Conundrum, right? Over Sunday morning coffee we came up with a list of under five dollar activities for the next time we need inspiration. While all of these may not apply to where you live, perhaps they will inspire you to start your own list. Adventures don't have to be expensive.

Our List:
  • Dollar movie theater trip
    (It's actually $3.50 here)
  • Visit the pet store and keep the animals for adoption company. 
    (Along with that: try not to take any home)
  • Photoshoots 
    (Digital pictures are free!)
  • Grab a stack of books about a brand new subject and have a long library readin' day!
  • Thrift store hop to find nostalgic VHS. Follow with good ol' days movie marathon.
  • Cheap ice cream shoppe date
  • Art show openings
  • Dog park and slushies
  • Find an author book reading at local bookstore
  • Dive bar hop at 10 am and only drink dollar sodas.
  • Go on a walk and pick flowers. Press them or arrange them in a vase.
  • Have a one person tea party with stuffed animals.
    (Or kitties!)
  • Craft with things found in your house
    (Potato stamped wallpaper anyone?)
  • Dedicate an afternoon to current political event research
  • Buy inexpensive eyeshadow and experiment with new tricks
  • Chalk sidewalk murals! 
    (You can do this anywhere in town. Seriously.)
  • Buy an absurd color of nail polish and give yourself a sweet pedicure.
  • Four dollar yoga.
    (Community classes too.)
  • Buy a 97 cent cat toy and have kitten play time!
    (Warning: This could last all day.)
  • Buy your favorite magazine and read it cover to cover at a lovely park.
  • Geocaching!!!!!!
    (It's an international GPS treasure hunt. CHECK IT OUT.)
  • Buy coffee and hang out at a cafe indefinitely.

We did the last suggestion and had the time of our life. One thing led to another, and soon we had four hot sex-positive feminists sitting at our table talking about riveting concepts and making plans for the next weekend. It was SO fun. And I spent a total of $4.38 on two cups of coffee and four refills. I won at life that morning. Here is a list of 100 things to do for a money-free weekend if you're needing more inspiration!

Want to help us come up with a longer list?
Share your suggestions and/or things you would do! I'd love to hear them.

xoxo

8 comments

  1. This is great! Just like my best friend and I- we never had money at uni so we used to go to the library and climb behind the rolling stacks or hunt for hidden spaces under the stairs. Or we would walk all around campus, looking for little nooks we had never seen before. Playing explorers is so fun!... And free!

    Becky
    Xx

    Http://www.beckybedbug.com

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  2. Geocaching!!! Yes!!! I'm always so excited when other bloggers mention it at all.
    This list is fantastic, and I feel like I'm always looking for something pretty cheap to do, so I can probably do a good job putting some of these ideas to use.

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  3. I remember when I was a kid, my mom had a book called "365 TV Free Activities You Can Do With Your Child"... that's probably where all of this started:) I might have to get that book again!

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  4. You are terrific! What a fun way to tackle no $ and a little boredom.
    Geocaching is all over the place. We did it back East but have not tried it since moving to Tucson.
    I've one to add....how about a jewelry swap, repair, combine and create afternoon? If you are in Tucson, I have the perfect place - free, great expresso machine, nice and cool....just saying.

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    Replies
    1. That is SUCH a great idea. Kari is a jewelry maker and sells on etsy... I bet she would especially love that!

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  5. Free museum day! TMA is free the first Sunday of every month

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    Replies
    1. Yessssssssssssssssss!!! I forgot about that! Thanks Jennifer! P.S. You ARE gorgeously pregnant!!!

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  6. I love these ideas!!!!! Who ever knew that $5 could be so much fun ;D

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